Thomas J. Henley

Thomas J. Henley
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Indiana's 2nd district
In office
March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1849
Preceded byCharles M. La Follette
Succeeded byWinfield K. Denton
27th Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives
In office
December 5, 1842 – December 4, 1843
Preceded byJohn W. Davis
Succeeded byAndrew L. Robinson
Member of the Indiana House of Representatives
from the Clark County district
In office
December 5, 1832 – December 4, 1843
Superintendent of Indian Affairs for California
In office
May 31, 1854 – March 9, 1859
PresidentMillard Fillmore
Preceded byEdward Fitzgerald Beale
Succeeded byJames Y. McDuffie
Personal details
Born(1808-06-18)June 18, 1808
Richmond, Indiana, U.S.
DiedMay 1, 1875(1875-05-01) (aged 66)
Mendocino County, California, U.S
Political partyDemocratic
EducationIndiana University


Thomas Jefferson Henley (June 18, 1808 – May 1, 1875) was a U.S. Representative from Indiana, father of Barclay Henley.

Born in Richmond, Indiana, Henley attended Indiana University at Bloomington. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1828 and commenced practice in Richmond, Indiana. He also engaged in banking. He served as member of the State house of representatives between 1832-1842 and served as speaker in 1840.

Henley was elected as a Democrat to the Twenty-eighth, Twenty-ninth, and Thirtieth Congresses (March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1849). He served as chairman of the Committee on Patents (Twenty-eighth and Twenty-ninth Congresses). He moved to California in 1849 and engaged in banking in Sacramento. He was an unsuccessful candidate for U.S. Senate in 1849, then served as a member of the first State Assembly between 1851 and 1853. He then served as Superintendent of Indian Affairs of California between 1855–1858, during which time he oversaw and instigated the Round Valley Settler Massacres of 1856–1859. His last job was as the postmaster of San Francisco between 1860-1864.

Henley died in Mendocino County, California. He was interred in Valley View Cemetery, Covelo, California.